Pubs hit with EPL copyright breach fines

Four pubs in England have been ordered by the High Court to each pay the Premier League costs for breaching copyright by making unauthorised broadcasts of Premier League football in their pubs.

The details of the pubs and the £30,000 (€37,905) of costs they have been ordered to pay are:

The New Inn, Swindon – ordered to pay the Premier League £7,000

The Linley Tavern, Stoke – ordered to pay the Premier League £6,292

The Huntsman, Rochester – ordered to pay the Premier League £8,120

The Happy Wanderer, Durham – ordered to pay the Premier League £8,721

These pubs follow the Premier League announcing earlier in November that a Manchester pub (the Red Beret) was ordered by the High Court to pay costs in excess of £8,000 for breaching the League’s copyright through unauthorised broadcasts of its matches.

A Premier League Spokesman said the actions were part of its largest-ever pub and supplier investigations programme. “We will continue to take action against commercial premises that breach our copyright by making unauthorised foreign broadcasts of Premier League football. Already this season we have conducted hundreds of pub visits and commenced action against dozens of publicans, with cost awards being made in our favour on a regular basis,” he advised.

“Our messages to publicans are clear: ignore the lies peddled by suppliers who make false claims about the legality of foreign broadcasts. And broadcast Premier League football in your pubs the right way – via Sky Sports and BT Sport commercial agreements,” he declared.

In 2013, two pubs were ordered by the High Court to each pay a minimum of £65,000 to the Premier League in costs following their persistent breaches of copyright by making unauthorised foreign broadcasts of matches.